Power management of battery powered devices is important to achieve adequate battery life. In a utility environment (e.g., a gas and/or water meter), expected battery life may be twenty years. To achieve such an operational period, it is important to limit current draw and to efficiently use the current that is drawn. Accordingly, processors spend larger amounts of time in sleep modes, and radio transmission periods are minimized. However, increasing demands for data (e.g., to provide encryption) have resulted in a need for new and better means to conserve power and extend battery life.